Achema with bioeconomy highlights

22.06.2012 - Finale at ACHEMA: The world's biggest fair for chemical engineering, biotechnology and environmental protection delivers its final day.

Frankfurt – The fair brings together more than 180,000 participants and 3,770 exhibitors from 56 countries. Hot topics at ACHEMA 2012 are energy and resources. With BiobasedWorld, the organisers have introduced a special industrial biotechnology and biomass processing focus, mirroring how the knowledge-based bioeconomy has started to transform the chemical industry. The bioeconomy is not only a special focus amongst exhibitors, but was also covered by its own "BiobasedWorld" conference.

The importance of the subject was highlighted by a group of 30 science and industry experts from Germany presenting the "Roadmap Biorefineries". This paper, worked out on behalf of the Federal Government , includes a SWOT analysis on the potential of available biorefinery technologies as well as fields where further research and development efforts are necessary by the year 2030.

Georg Schütte, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Education and Research, also introduced three strategic alliances in industrial biotechnology. In these alliances, partners from industry and research from a variety of industry branches work together to foster “biologisation” of industry and to deliver novel biobased products. The alliance "ZeroCarbon Footprint" , coordinated by energy giant RWE Power AG , will have a total volume of €46m, from which the half is financed by public money. It focuses on using carbon-rich waste streams as a basis for novel biotech products. The alliance "Functionalisation of polymers", coordinated by enzyme specialist Evocatal, will see the government und the respective industry partners investing €8m in total. The cosmetics and nutraceuticals alliance "NatLifE", coordinated by BRAIN AG, will have a total volume of €30m.

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